The noble gases are helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn). Noble gases are located in group 18 of the periodic table. Noble gases are in the form of a gas and they are often called the inert gases. These gases are colorless, odorless, tasteless, and they are non-metals. Their boiling points increase as you go down the column. Helium starts the column off at the top, and that particular gas has a boiling point of -268.93 degrees celcius.
The noble gases have the chemical property of not being able to combine on their own. They must be forced to chemically bond. Scientists thought that the noble gases could not react at all until the 1960s. So, you will never find noble gas compounds in nature, even though you can find them in a laboratory. Their inability to react most likely comes from the fact that each of the gases' atoms have eight electrons. This means that their electron structure is very stable and causes the gain and loss of electrons highly uncommon among noble gases. In order to form a new compound, an element must change the number of electron's it has. The noble gases cannot naturally preform this step. Some noble gas compounds that scientist do make have oxidizing properties, which means they can add oxygen to elements.
Helium
Atomic Number: 2
Symbol: He
Atomic Mass: 4.0026
Next to Hydrogen, Helium is the most abundant element in the universe. Helium is extracted from natural gas. It has the lowest melting point of any element and is the only liquid that can't be solidified by lowering it's temperature. It remains a liquid down to absolute zero, and will solidify by increasing pressure. Helium has many uses. It is used as an inert gas shield for arc welding, a protective gas in growing silicon and germanium crystals and producing titanium and zirconium, a cooling medium for nuclear reactors, and as a gas for supersonic wind tunnels. A mixture of helium and oxygen is used as an artificial atmosphere for divers. It's used to fill balloons and blimps. Liquid helium is used in MRI's.
Neon
Atomic Number: 10
Symbol: Ne
Atomic Mass: 20.179
Even though we see neon signs all the time, Neon is still a rare element. It's obtained by liquefaction of the air and separated from the other gaseous elements by fractional distillation. Fractional distillation is a process used to separate different elements of different boiling points in a mixture by slowly increasing the temperature and extracting each element one by one. Neon advertising signs are the most common use of the element, but Neon is also used to function high-voltage indicators, lightning arrestors, wave meter tubes, and TV tubes. Neon and Helium are used to make gas lasers.
Argon
Atomic Number: 18
Symbol: Ar
Atomic Mass: 39.948
Argon is a very inert gas and is not known to form any chemical compounds. It is colorless and odorless, both as a gas and as a liquid. Argon gas is extracted by fractionation of liquid air. Because Argon is inert, it is used in light bulbs to prevent the filament from burning away, as it would if light bulbs were filled with oxygen. It's also used as an inert gas shield for arc welding and cutting, a blanket for the production of titanium and other reactive elements, and as a protective atmosphere for growing silicon and germanium crystals.
Krypton
Atomic Number: 36
Symbol: Kr
Atomic Mass: 83.80
About 1 ppm (parts per million) of Krypton is found in the atmosphere. Solid krypton is a white crystalline substance with a cubic structure, which is common to all rare gases. Krypton is used in some flash lamps in cameras for high-speed photography and to fill the lights on airport runways.
Xenon
Atomic Number: 54
Symbol: Xe
Atomic Mass: 131.30
Xenon exists in the atmosphere of about 1 part in twenty million. Xenon can be found in the gases from some mineral springs, and is obtained by extracting it from liquid air. Xenon gas is used to make electron tubes, stroboscopic lamps, bactericidal lamps, and in super bright lamps used for deep sea observation. It's used in the nuclear energy field in bubble chambers and probes. It is also used as oxidizing agents in analytical chemistry. While Xenon itself is not toxic, its compounds are because of their strong oxidizing characteristics.
Radon
Atomic Number: 86
Symbol: Rn
Atomic Mass: (222)
Radon was discovered in 1900 and was originally named radium emanation. In 1908, it was renamed Niton and it was determined as the heaviest known gas. It has been called Radon since 1923. It is estimated that for every square mile of soil 6 inches deep, there is about 1 gram of radium, which releases tiny amounts of radon into the atmosphere. You can also find Radon is some spring waters, such as those in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Radon is colorless gas, but when cooled below freezing point it glows yellow, and red-orange at the temperature of liquid air. Radon can react with Radon, forming a fluoride. Radon is mainly used for therapeutic needs. Because Radon is a radioactive material, great care must be taken when handling Radon. Inhalation of Radon is a main hazard. Many deaths from lung cancer are caused by Radon exposure.
In our everyday lives we see and use noble gases. Despite the fact that they only make up about one percent of Earth's atmosphere, noble gases are all around us.
"Fractional distillation Definition | Definition of Fractional distillation at Dictionary.com."Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fractional+distillation>.
Noble Gases
By Rachel Broughton and Natalie ZengThe noble gases are helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn). Noble gases are located in group 18 of the periodic table. Noble gases are in the form of a gas and they are often called the inert gases. These gases are colorless, odorless, tasteless, and they are non-metals. Their boiling points increase as you go down the column. Helium starts the column off at the top, and that particular gas has a boiling point of -268.93 degrees celcius.
The noble gases have the chemical property of not being able to combine on their own. They must be forced to chemically bond. Scientists thought that the noble gases could not react at all until the 1960s. So, you will never find noble gas compounds in nature, even though you can find them in a laboratory. Their inability to react most likely comes from the fact that each of the gases' atoms have eight electrons. This means that their electron structure is very stable and causes the gain and loss of electrons highly uncommon among noble gases. In order to form a new compound, an element must change the number of electron's it has. The noble gases cannot naturally preform this step. Some noble gas compounds that scientist do make have oxidizing properties, which means they can add oxygen to elements.
Helium
Atomic Nu
Symbol: He
Atomic Mass: 4.0026
Next to Hydrogen, Helium is the most abundant element in the universe. Helium is extracted from natural gas. It has the lowest melting point of any element and is the only liquid that can't be solidified by lowering it's temperature. It remains a liquid down to absolute zero, and will solidify by increasing pressure. Helium has many uses. It is used as an inert gas shield for arc welding, a protective gas in growing silicon and germanium crystals and producing titanium and zirconium, a cooling medium for nuclear reactors, and as a gas for supersonic wind tunnels. A mixture of helium and oxygen is used as an artificial atmosphere for divers. It's used to fill balloons and blimps. Liquid helium is used in MRI's.
Neon
Atomic Number: 10
Symbol: Ne
Atomic Mass: 20.179
Even though we see neon signs all the time, Neon is still a rare element. It's obtained by liquefaction of the air and separated from the other gaseous elements by fractional distillation. Fractional distillation is a process used to separate different elements of different boiling points in a mixture by slowly increasing the temperature and extracting each element one by one. Neon advertising signs are the most common use of the element, but Neon is also used to function high-voltage indicators, lightning arrestors, wave meter tubes, and TV tubes. Neon and Helium are used to make gas lasers.
Argon
Atomic Number: 18
Symbol: Ar
Atomic Mass: 39.948
Argon is a very inert gas and is not known to form any chemical compounds. It is colorless and odorless, both as a gas and as a liquid. Argon gas is extracted by fractionation of liquid air. Because Argon is inert, it is used in light bulbs to prevent the filament from burning away, as it would if light bulbs were filled with oxygen. It's also used as an inert gas shield for arc welding and cutting, a blanket for the production of titanium and other reactive elements, and as a protective atmosphere for growing silicon and germanium crystals.
Krypton
Atomic Number:
Symbol: Kr
Atomic Mass: 83.80
About 1 ppm (parts per million) of Krypton is found in the atmosphere. Solid krypton is a white crystalline substance with a cubic structure, which is common to all rare gases. Krypton is used in some flash lamps in cameras for high-speed photography and to fill the lights on airport runways.
Xenon
Atomic Number: 5
Symbol: Xe
Atomic Mass: 131.30
Xenon exists in the atmosphere of about 1 part in twenty million. Xenon can be found in the gases from some mineral springs, and is obtained by extracting it from liquid air. Xenon gas is used to make electron tubes, stroboscopic lamps, bactericidal lamps, and in super bright lamps used for deep sea observation. It's used in the nuclear energy field in bubble chambers and probes. It is also used as oxidizing agents in analytical chemistry. While Xenon itself is not toxic, its compounds are because of their strong oxidizing characteristics.
Radon
Atomic Number: 86
Symbol: Rn
Atomic Mass: (222)
Radon was discovered in 1900 and was originally named radium emanation. In 1908, it was renamed Niton and it was determined as the heaviest known gas. It has been called Radon since 1923. It is estimated that for every square mile of soil 6 inches deep, there is about 1 gram of radium, which releases tiny amounts of radon into the atmosphere. You can also find Radon is some spring waters, such as those in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Radon is colorless gas, but when cooled below freezing point it glows yellow, and red-orange at the temperature of liquid air. Radon can react with Radon, forming a fluoride. Radon is mainly used for therapeutic needs. Because Radon is a radioactive material, great care must be taken when handling Radon. Inhalation of Radon is a main hazard. Many deaths from lung cancer are caused by Radon exposure.
In our everyday lives we see and use noble gases. Despite the fact that they only make up about one percent of Earth's atmosphere, noble gases are all around us.
SCIENCE ROCKS!!!!!
Sources
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